Piazza Dei Miracoli
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The Piazza dei Miracoli (; en, Square of Miracles), formally known as Piazza del Duomo ( en, Cathedral Square), is a walled 8.87-hectare area located in
Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...
,
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, recognized as an important centre of European medieval art and one of the finest architectural complexes in the world. Considered sacred by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, its owner, the square is dominated by four great religious edifices: the
Pisa Cathedral Pisa Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy, the oldest of the th ...
, the Pisa Baptistry, the
Campanile A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
, and the
Camposanto Monumentale The Campo Santo, also known as Camposanto Monumentale (" monumental cemetery") or Camposanto Vecchio ("old cemetery"), is a historical edifice at the northern edge of the Cathedral Square in Pisa, Italy. "Campo Santo" can be literally translated ...
(''Monumental Cemetery''). Partly paved and partly grassed, the Piazza dei Miracoli is also the site of the ''Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito'' (''New Hospital of the Holy Spirit''), which houses the Sinopias Museum ( it, Museo delle Sinopie) and the Cathedral Museum ( it, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, links=no). The name ''Piazza dei Miracoli'' was coined by the Italian writer and poet Gabriele d'Annunzio who, in his novel ''Forse che sì forse che no'' (1910), described the square as the "''prato dei Miracoli''", or "meadow of miracles". The square is sometimes called the ''Campo dei Miracoli'' ("Field of Miracles"). In 1987, the whole square was declared a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.


Cathedral

The heart of the Piazza del Duomo is the ''Duomo'', the
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
of the
Archdiocese of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.717,_Pisan.html" ;"title="708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716
708,_Pisan);_on_30–31_July_1716_[1717,_Pisan_and_on_31_J_...
,_dedicated_to_Santa_Maria_Assunta_(St._Mary_of_the_Assumption)._The_cathedral_has_two_aisles_on_either_side_of_the_nave.__The_transept_consists_of_three_aisles._The_church_is_known_also_as_the_''Primatial'',_the_archbishop_of_Pisa_being_a_Primate_(bishop).html" "title="717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption). The cathedral has two aisles on either side of the nave. The transept consists of three aisles. The church is known also as the ''Primatial'', the archbishop of Pisa being a Primate (bishop)">Primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians (monkeys and apes, the latter including huma ...
since 1092. Its construction began in 1064 by the architect Buscheto. It set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. The mosaics of the interior, as well as the pointed arches, show a strong Byzantine Empire, Byzantine influence. The façade, of grey
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...
and white stone set with discs of coloured marble, was built by a master named Rainaldo, as indicated by an inscription above the middle door: ''Rainaldus prudens operator''. The massive
bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
main doors were made in the workshops of
Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...
, replacing the original doors destroyed in a fire in 1595. The original central door was of bronze, made around 1180 by Bonanno Pisano, while the other two were probably of wood. However, worshippers have never used the façade doors to enter, instead entering by way of the ''Porta di San Ranieri'' (St. Ranieri's Door), in front of the Leaning Tower, built around 1180 by
Bonanno Pisano Bonanno Pisano (Pisa), active in the 1170s and 1180s, was an Italian sculptor, mixing Byzantine and classical elements. Giorgio Vasari attributed the realization of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to him in his ''Vite''. Pisano was born in Pisa and w ...
. Above the doors are four rows of open galleries with, on top, statues of ''Madonna with Child'' and, on the corners, the ''Four evangelists''. Also in the façade is found the tomb of Buscheto (on the left side) and an inscription about the foundation of the Cathedral and the victorious battle against the
Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
s. At the east end of the exterior, high on a column rising from the
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
, is a modern replica of the
Pisa Griffin The Pisa Griffin is a large bronze sculpture of a griffin, a mythical beast, that has remained in Pisa, Italy since the Middle Ages despite its Islamic origin, specifically 11th century Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain). The Pisa Griffin is the largest ...
, the largest Islamic metal sculpture known, the original of which was placed there probably in the 11th or 12th century, and is now in the Cathedral Museum. The interior is faced with black and white marble and has a gilded ceiling and a
fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
ed
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
. It was largely redecorated after a fire in 1595, which destroyed most of the Renaissance art works. The impressive
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
of ''Christ in Majesty'', in the
apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
, flanked by the ''Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist'', survived the fire. It evokes the mosaics in the church of
Monreale Monreale (; ; Sicilian: ''Murriali'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in Sicily, southern Italy. It is located on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called ''"La Conca d'oro"'' (the Golde ...
,
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. Although it is said that the mosaic was done by
Cimabue Cimabue (; ; – 1302), Translated with an introduction and notes by J.C. and P Bondanella. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Oxford World’s Classics), 1991, pp. 7–14. . also known as Cenni di Pepo or Cenni di Pepi, was an Italian painter a ...
, only the head of St. John was done by the artist in 1302, his last work, since he died in Pisa the same year. The cupola, at the intersection of the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
and
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
, was decorated by Riminaldi showing the
assumption of the Blessed Virgin The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Catholic_Mariology#Dogmatic_teachings, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and d ...
.
Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He was ...
is believed to have formulated his theory about the movement of a
pendulum A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the ...
by watching the swinging of the
incense Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be ...
lamp (not the present one) hanging from the ceiling of the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
. That lamp, smaller and simpler than the present one, is now kept in the Camposanto, in the Aulla chapel. The granite Corinthian columns between the nave and the aisle came originally from the
mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
of
Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
, captured by the Pisans in 1063. The coffer ceiling of the nave was replaced after the fire of 1595. The present gold-decorated ceiling carries the coat of arms of the
Medici The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
. The elaborately carved
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...
(1302–1310), which also survived the fire, was made by
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
, a masterwork of medieval sculpture. Having been packed away during the redecoration, it was not rediscovered and restored until 1926. The pulpit is supported by plain columns (two of which are mounted on lion's sculptures) on one side and by
caryatid A caryatid ( or or ; grc, Καρυᾶτις, pl. ) is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term ''karyatides'' literally means "ma ...
s and a
telamon In Greek mythology, Telamon (; Ancient Greek: Τελαμών, ''Telamōn'' means "broad strap") was the son of King Aeacus of Aegina, and Endeïs, a mountain nymph. The elder brother of Peleus, Telamon sailed alongside Jason as one of his Argo ...
on the other: the latter represent St. Michael, the Evangelists, the four
cardinal virtues The cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term ''cardinal'' comes from the ...
flanking the Church, and a bold, naturalistic depiction of a naked
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. A central
plinth A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In c ...
with the
liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...
supports the four
theological virtues Theological virtues are virtues associated in Christian theology and philosophy with salvation resulting from the grace of God. Virtues are traits or qualities which dispose one to conduct oneself in a morally good manner. Traditionally they have ...
. The present-day pulpit is a reconstruction of the original. It does not lie in its original position, which was nearer the main altar, and the columns and panels are not original. The original stairs (perhaps of marble) were lost. The upper part has nine narrative panels showing scenes from the New Testament, carved in white marble with a
chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...
effect and separated by figures of prophets: the Annunciation, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Nativity,
Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, ...
, the Flight into Egypt, the Crucifixion, and two panels of the Last Judgement. The church also contains the bones of St.
Ranieri Ranieri is an Italian surname and given name originated from the masculine Germanic given name Ragnar (Old Norse ''Ragnarr''). Surname *Teodorico Ranieri (b. unknown, d. 1306), Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church *Massimo Ranieri (born ...
, Pisa's
patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
, and the tomb of
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
Henry VII, carved by Tino da Camaino in 1315. That tomb, originally in the apse just behind the main altar, was disassembled and moved many times over the centuries for political reasons. While the sarcophagus is still in the Cathedral, some of the statues were put in the Camposanto or in the top of the church's façade. The original statues are now in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo.
Pope Gregory VIII Pope Gregory VIII ( la, Gregorius VIII; c. 1100/1105 – 17 December 1187), born Alberto di Morra, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States for two months in 1187. Becoming Pope after a long diplomatic career as Aposto ...
was also buried in the cathedral. The fire of 1595 destroyed his tomb. The Cathedral has a prominent role in determining the beginning of the Pisan New Year. Between the tenth century and 1749, when the Tuscan calendar was reformed, Pisa used its own calendar, in which the first day of the year was March 25, the
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
of the
Annunciation of Mary The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
. Years were counted such that the Pisan New Year begins 9 months before the ordinary one. The exact moment is determined by a ray of sun that, through a window on the left side, falls on an egg-shaped marble, just above the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano; this occurs at noon. Some relics brought back during the Crusades can also be found in the Cathedral: alleged remains of three
Saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
s (Abibo,
Gamaliel Gamaliel the Elder (; also spelled Gamliel; he, רַבַּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן ''Rabban Gamlīʾēl hazZāqēn''; grc-koi, Γαμαλιὴλ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος ''Gamaliēl ho Presbýteros''), or Rabban Gamaliel I, ...
, and
Nicodemus Nicodemus (; grc-gre, Νικόδημος, Nikódēmos) was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John: * He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus' teachings (). * The second time Nicodem ...
), and a vase that is said to be one of the jars of Cana. The building, as have several in Pisa, has tilted slightly since its construction, though not nearly to the extent of the nearby
Tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
. File:Tympanum - Facade - Duomo - Pisa 2014.jpg, Lunette above the middle door of the cathedral, picturing Blessed Mary by Giuseppe Modena da Lucca File:Toscana Pisa4 tango7174.jpg, Apse with mosaic File:Pisa.Duomo.ceiling01.jpg, Coffer ceiling File:Relics of St Ranieri - Duomo - Pisa 2014.jpg, Altar of St. Rainerius File:Pisa Cathedral (interioir view)-2.jpg, Interior view of central part File:Pisa Cathedral (interioir view)-3.jpg, Marble columns File:Pise Duomo.jpg, The Compound, with the
Pisa Griffin The Pisa Griffin is a large bronze sculpture of a griffin, a mythical beast, that has remained in Pisa, Italy since the Middle Ages despite its Islamic origin, specifically 11th century Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain). The Pisa Griffin is the largest ...
high above the apse on a column File:Aerial-perspective-of-the-piazza-del-duomo-created-from-laser-scan-data.jpg, Aerial perspective of Piazza del Duomo File:Pisa Tower with cathedral and baptistry at night.jpg, Pisa Tower with cathedral and baptistry at night File:Pisa-1.jpg, Details in Romanesque architecture style File:Pisa-2.jpg, White marble statue File:Pisa-3.jpg, In front of the altar File:Pisa-4.jpg, Madonna with Child File:Pisa-8.jpg, Interior view


Baptistery

The Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Duomo. The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century: ''1153 Mense August fundata fuit haec'' ("In the month of August 1153 was set up here..."). It was built in Romanesque style by an
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
known as Diotisalvi ("God Save You"), who worked also in the church of the
Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...
in the city. His name is mentioned on a pillar inside, as ''Diotosalvi magister''. the construction was not, however, finished until the 14th century, when the
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...
, the top storey and the dome were added in
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
style by
Nicola Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; c. 1220/1225 – c. 1284) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the ...
and
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
. It is the largest
baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...
in Italy, with a circumference measuring 107.25 m. Taking into account the statue of St. John the Baptist (attributed to Turino di Sano) atop the dome, it is even a few centimetres taller than the Leaning Tower. The portal, facing the façade of the cathedral, is flanked by two classical columns, while the inner jambs are executed in the
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
style. The
lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. In the case of w ...
is divided into two tiers, the lower one depicting several episodes in the life of St. John the Baptist, and the upper one showing Christ between the Madonna and St. John the Baptist, flanked by angels and the evangelists. The immensity of the interior is overwhelming, but it is surprisingly plain and lacking in decoration. It has notable
acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician ...
also. The octagonal
baptismal font A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism. Aspersion and affusion fonts The fonts of many Christian denominations are for baptisms using a non-immersive method, such as aspersion (sprinkling) or affusion (pouring). ...
at the centre dates from 1246 and was made by Guido Bigarelli da Como. The bronze sculpture of St. John the Baptist at the centre of the font is a remarkable work by Italo Griselli. The pulpit was sculpted between 1255-1260 by
Nicola Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; c. 1220/1225 – c. 1284) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the ...
, father of
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
, the artist who produced the pulpit in the Duomo. The scenes on the pulpit, and especially the classical form of the naked
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
, show at best Nicola Pisano's abilities as the most important precursor of Italian renaissance sculpture by reinstating antique representations. Therefore, surveys of the Italian Renaissance usually begin with the year 1260, the year that Nicola Pisano dated this pulpit. File:Pisa.Baptistery.dome01.jpg, Baptistry dome File:Pisa-battistero01.jpg, Baptistry interior File:Pisa.Baptistery.font01.jpg, Baptistry font by Guido Bigarelli da Como File:Pisa.Baptistery.pulpit01.jpg, Pulpit by Nicola Pisano File:Pisa.Baptistery.stained01.jpg, Stained-glass window File:Pisa-5.jpg, Baptistery floor


Campanile

The campanile (bell tower), commonly known as the
Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa ( it, torre pendente di Pisa), or simply, the Tower of Pisa (''torre di Pisa'' ), is the ''bell tower, campanile'', or freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result ...
, is located behind the cathedral. The last of the three major buildings on the piazza to be built, construction of the bell tower began in 1173 and took place in three stages over the course of 177 years, with the bell-chamber only added in 1372. Five years after construction began, when the building had reached the third floor level, the weak subsoil and poor foundation led to the building sinking on its south side. The building was left for a century, which allowed the subsoil to stabilise itself and prevented the building from collapsing. In 1272, to adjust the lean of the building, when construction resumed, the upper floors were built with one side taller than the other. The seventh and final floor was added in 1319. By the time the building was completed, the lean was approximately 1 degree, or 80 cm (2.5 feet) from vertical. At its greatest, measured prior to 1990, the lean measured approximately 5.5 degrees. As at 2010, the lean was reduced to approximately 4 degrees. The tower stands approximately 60 m high, and was built to accommodate a total of seven main bells, cast to the
musical scale In music theory, a scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch. A scale ordered by increasing pitch is an ascending scale, and a scale ordered by decreasing pitch is a descending scale. Often, especially in the ...
: # ''L'Assunta'', cast in 1654 by Giovanni Pietro Orlandi, weight 3,620 kg (7,981 lb) # ''Il Crocifisso'', cast in 1572 by Vincenzo Possenti, weight 2,462 kg (5,428 lb) # ''San Ranieri'', cast in 1719–21 by Giovanni Andrea Moreni, weight 1,448 kg (3,192 lb) # ''La Terza'', the first small bell, cast in 1473, weight 300 kg (661 lb) # ''La Pasquereccia'' or ''La Giustizia'', cast in 1262 by Lotteringo, weight 1,014 kg (2,235 lb) # ''Il Vespruccio'', the second small bell, cast in the 14th century and again in 1501 by Nicola di Jacopo, weight 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) # '' Dal Pozzo'', cast in 1606 and again in 2004, weight 652 kg (1,437 lb) There are 296 steps leading to the top of the tower. File:Piazza dei Miracoli - The Cathedral and the Leaning Tower in Pisa (2).jpg, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Cathedral File:Piazza dei Miracoli - The Cathedral and the Leaning Tower in Pisa.jpg, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Cathedral File:Cathedral and Campanary - Pisa 2014 (2).JPG, Cathedral and Campanary File:Duomo di Pisa by night.jpg, Duomo di Pisa by night File:Putti Fountain, Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) (forefront), The Leaning Tower of Pisa (background), Piazza dei Miracoli (-Square of Miracles-). Pisa, Tuscany, Central Italy.jpg, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Cathedral File:Torre di pisa vista dal cortile dell'opera del duomo 03.JPG, Leaning Tower of Pisa


Camposanto Monumentale

The
Camposanto Monumentale The Campo Santo, also known as Camposanto Monumentale (" monumental cemetery") or Camposanto Vecchio ("old cemetery"), is a historical edifice at the northern edge of the Cathedral Square in Pisa, Italy. "Campo Santo" can be literally translated ...
(''Monumental Cemetery''), also known as ''Campo Santo'' or ''Camposanto Vecchio'' (''Old Cemetery''), is located at the northern edge of the square. This walled
cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
is said to have been built around a shipload of sacred soil from
Calvary Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
, brought back to Pisa from the
Third Crusade The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by ...
by Ubaldo de' Lanfranchi, the
archbishop of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.717,_Pisan.html" ;"title="708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan">708, Pisan); on 30–31 July 1716 [1717, Pisan and on 31 J ...
in the 12th century. This is where the name ''Campo Santo'' (''Holy Field'') originates. The building itself dates from a century later and was erected over the earlier burial ground. The building of this huge, oblong Gothic cloister began in 1278 by the architect Giovanni di Simone. He died in 1284 when Pisa suffered a defeat in a naval Battle of Meloria (1284), battle of Meloria against the Genoans. The cemetery was only completed in 1464. The outer wall is composed of 43 blind arches. There are two doorways. The one on the right is crowned by a gracious Gothic tabernacle and contains the ''Virgin Mary with Child'' surrounded by four saints. It is the work from the second half of the 14th century by a follower of
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
. Most of the tombs are under the arcades, although a few are on the central lawn. The inner court is surrounded by elaborate round arches with slender
mullion A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid supp ...
s and plurilobed
tracery Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...
. The Camposanto Monumentale once contained a large collection of Roman sculptures and
sarcophagi A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a cadaver, corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from ...
, but now there are only 84 remaining. The walls were once covered in
fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
es, the first were applied in 1360, the last about three centuries later. The ''Stories of the Old Testament'' by
Benozzo Gozzoli Benozzo Gozzoli (4 October 1497) was an Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. A pupil of Fra Angelico, Gozzoli is best known for a series of murals in the Magi Chapel of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, depicting festive, vibrant processions wi ...
(c. 15th century) were situated in the north gallery, while the south arcade was famous for the ''Stories of the Genesis'' by
Piero di Puccio Piero di Puccio was a fourteenth-century Italian painter of the Gothic period, active mainly in Orvieto. He is also known as ''Pietro di Puccio''. He painted a fresco of stories from Genesis, from the ''Creation'' to the ''Deluge'' on the North ...
(c. late 15th century). The most remarkable fresco is ''The Triumph of Death'', a realistic work by
Buonamico Buffalmacco Buonamico di Martino, otherwise known as Buonamico Buffalmacco (active c. 1315–1336), was an Italian Renaissance painter who worked in Florence, Bologna, and Pisa. Although none of his known work has survived, he is widely assumed to be the ...
. On 27 July 1944,
incendiary bomb Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices, incendiary munitions, or incendiary bombs are weapons designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using fire (and sometimes used as anti-personnel weaponry), that use materials such as napalm, t ...
s dropped by
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
aircraft set the roof of the building on fire and covered them in molten lead, all but destroying them. Since 1945, restoration works have been going on and now the Campo Santo has been brought back to its original state. Camposanto monumentale Pisa (interno).JPG, Camposanto Monumentale interior Pisa-6.jpg, Hallway in Camposanto Monumentale Pisa-7.jpg, Frescos in Camposanto Monumentale Relics of Saints Lussorio and Camerino - Camposanto - Pisa 2014.jpg, Some of the Saints' relics in the Dal Pozzo chapel. Catene del porto pisano 02.JPG, Chains of the medieval harbour of Pisa.


Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito

The Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito (''New Hospital of Holy Spirit'') is located on the south area of the square. Built in 1257 by Giovanni di Simone over a preexisting smaller hospital, the function of this hospital was to help pilgrims, poor, sick people, and abandoned children by providing a shelter. The name of the hospital was later changed to Ospedale della Misericordia (''Hospital of Mercy'') or di Santa Chiara (''Sant Claire''), which was the name of the small church included in the complex. The hospital exterior was constructed with brick walls with two-light windows in gothic style; the hospital interior was painted in two colours, black and white, to imitate the marble colours of the other buildings. In 1562, during the time when the Medici dominated the city, the hospital was restructured according to Florentine renaissance canons; all the doors and windows were modified with new rectangular ones encased in grey sandstone. Today, the building is no longer entirely a hospital. Since 1976, the middle part of the building contains the Sinopias Museum, where original drawings of the Campo Santo frescoes are kept.


Palazzo dell'Opera

The Opera Palace is located on the south east corner of the square. They have been built in different periods, with the main building dating back to at least the 14th century and the latest to the 19th century. Originally these houses belonged to the workmen of the cathedral complex: the tailor, the gardener, the bell ringers, etc., until the 19th century when the administration offices of the Opera della Primaziale were moved in. In the same years the
chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...
was also moved inside the complex. In the course of time the complex was rearranged several times but the façade of the main building still conserves its original aspect. In the first years of the 21st century the administration offices and the chapter moved again to a nearby palace close to the archbishopric. Only a few rooms on the ground floor are still used as offices for the surveillance and technical staff. After the move, the upper rooms were transformed in a platform for temporary exhibitions (2014). This is the first time people can actually visit those rooms. The most interesting rooms open to the public are the President room, the Deputation room, the chapel and the Chapter room. Among the closed ones are the "Loggetta" room (with frescoes by Agostino Ghirlanda), the "Scrittoio" room (with a fresco by
Il Sodoma Il Sodoma (1477 – 14 February 1549) was the name given to the Italian Renaissance painter Giovanni Antonio Bazzi. Il Sodoma painted in a manner that superimposed the High Renaissance style of early 16th-century Rome onto the traditions of ...
), the "Viola" room and the technical room. Entrance of Palazzo dell'Opera.JPG, Main entrance. Entrance hall of the Palazzo dell'Opera.jpg, The corridor in the ground floor. Fresco in the Palazzo dell'Opera 1.jpg, Fresco in the technical room, painted in the first quarter of the 15th century by a senese painter. Fresco in the Palazzo dell'Opera 2.JPG, Fresco in the Deputation room, painted in 1299 by Vincino di Vanni and Giovanni d'Apparecchiato. Palazzo Opera 2.JPG, Some of the original parts of the
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
's pulpit in the President room. Palazzo Opera 3.JPG, The Chapter room. Chapel in the Palazzo dell'Opera.jpg, The chapel room.


See also

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Ablaq Ablaq ( ar, أبلق; particolored; literally 'piebald') is an architectural technique involving alternating or fluctuating rows of light and dark stone. Records trace the beginnings of this type of masonry technique to the southern parts of S ...
*
Architecture of cathedrals and great churches The architecture of cathedrals and great churches is characterised by the buildings' large scale and follows one of several branching traditions of form, function and style that derive ultimately from the Early Christian architectural traditi ...
*
Cathedrals in Italy This is a list of cathedrals in Italy, including also Vatican City and San Marino. This is intended to be a complete list of extant cathedrals – i.e., churches that are the seats of bishops – and co-cathedrals. Many former cathedrals and pr ...
*
History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes The early domes of the Middle Ages, particularly in those areas recently under Byzantine control, were an extension of earlier Roman architecture. The domed church architecture of Italy from the sixth to the eighth centuries followed that of the ...
*
Pisa cathedral Pisa Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy, the oldest of the th ...


References


Sources

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External links


Official websiteInteractive High resolution 360° Panoramic Photo of Piazza dei Miracoli
Virtual Tour by Hans von Weissenfluh
Piazza dei Miracoli digital media archive
(
creative commons Creative Commons (CC) is an American non-profit organization and international network devoted to educational access and expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has release ...
-licensed photos, laser scans, panoramas), data from a
University of Ferrara The University of Ferrara ( it, Università degli Studi di Ferrara) is the main university of the city of Ferrara in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. In the years prior to the First World War the University of Ferrara, with more than 5 ...
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CyArk CyArk (from "cyber archive") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Oakland, California, United States founded in 2003. CyArk's mission is to "digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure ...
research partnership. {{DEFAULTSORT:Piazza Dei Miracoli Miracoli, Piazza dei *Piazza dei Miracoli Romanesque architecture in Pisa World Heritage Sites in Italy Domes Sites of papal elections Tourist attractions in Pisa History of Pisa Burial places of popes